Sunday’s field for the first starting flight of the 2012 World Poker Tour (WPT) Malta Main Event was small – just 64 players – and while the second starting flight was larger as expected, it still didn’t make the tournament any sort of grand spectacle. With 105 players registering Monday, the total field grew to 169 players, producing a €471,790 prize pool. Italy’s Jackson Genovesi ended the night in the top spot with 124,000 chips, just barely eeking out a 600 chip lead over Day 1A leader Casper Toft to grab the overall tournament lead.
The winner of the tournament will scoop approximately one-quarter of the prize pool, €120,000. A total of 21 players will make the money, a little bit more than the typical 10 percent of field that is often seen in tournaments. Here is a look at the entire payout schedule:
1. €120,000
2. €82,370
3. €52,600
4. €39,200
5. €29,300
6. €23,300
7. €19,500
8. €15,000
9. €10,900
10-12. €8,400
13-15. €7,000
16-18. €5,900
19-21. €5,240
The way the chips lined up at the end of Day 1B stood in stark contrast to Day 1A. Day 1A saw four players finish with over 100,000 chips and another four with over 90,000. Compare this to Monday, in which just one player, Genovesi, ended the night with over 100,000 and only one more, Giovanni Rizzo, had over 90,000. No one else on Day 1B even had over 80,000. Eight of the top ten chip leaders from Days 1A and 1B combined were from Day 1A; Genovesi and Rizzo were the only two Day 1B players who cracked the overall top ten.
Genovesi’s most important hand of the day came in the early evening. Kara Scott three-bet pre-flop to 2,300 after four players had called a prior raise to 700. Genovesi and Ronnie Bardah called and the three players saw a monotone flop of J♠-7♠-3♠. Scott continued with a 5,000 chip bet, followed by a raise to 18,000 from Bardah. Both Genovesi and Scott made the call to bring on a turn of 7♣. At that, Scott committed her final 2,725 chips to the pot. Bardah was frustrated, vocalizing his confusion by Scott’s line, and reluctantly folded. Genovesi decided to call, though, and it turned out it was an easy one as he had A♠-9♠ for the nut flush. Scott had pocket Queens, need a Queen or 7 to stay in the tournament. She got neither and Genovesi took the chip lead at that point with 110,000 chips.
The two Day 1 fields have combined into a single field for today’s Day 2, which is currently underway. Check back in tomorrow for more updates.
2012 World Poker Tour Malta – Day 1B Chip Leaders
Jackson Genovesi – 124,000
Giovanni Rizzo – 95,800
Sekan Kurnaz – 78,300
Alessio Isaia – 77,500
Erik Cajelais – 74,800
Johan Guilbert – 71,000
Enver Abduraimov – 70,000
Vincent Douchain – 66,100
Ilan Boujenah – 62,100
Jason Mercier – 56,600
2012 World Poker Tour Malta – Combined Day 1A and Day 1B Chip Leaders
Jackson Genovesi – 124,000
Casper Toft – 123,600
Andrea Dato – 106,300
Alfonso Amendola – 106,000
Koen Berendsen – 103,700
Giovanni Rizzo – 95,800
Kiryl Radzivonau – 94,800
Jonathan Roy – 94,100
Jens Schmieg – 93,500
Dominik Nitsche – 91,400
